Poration



J1me 1930- E. D. MacARTHUR 1,761,576

INTERMITTENT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Jan. 19, 1929 "llllll A T TORNE Y Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELVIN D. MACARTHUR, OF WOLLASTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DIR-APER COR- PORATION, OF HOPEIDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE INTERMITTENT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Application filed January 19, 1929. Serial No. 333,676.

This invention relates to feeler mechanism for looms and more particularly feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type wherein the feeler has periods of activity and periods of inactivity during weavlng with the same supply of filling in the shuttle.

Feeler mechanisms of the intermittent type as now ordinarily constructed comprise a feeler which is normally under the influence of a spring tending to move the feeler rearwardly to feeling position for its periods of activity and a latch or detent has been'employed for holding the feeler 1 frontwardly against the stress of its spring during its periods of inactivity, and means have been employed for freeing the feeler from the detent or holding pawl at intervals that the feeler may move under the normally acting stress of the spring to feeling position.

In accordance with the present invention, the stress of the feeler spring is controlled so that during the inactive periods of the feeler the spring is entirely relieved from exerting any stress upon the feeler and periodically the spring is placed under stress to move the feeler to its feeling position, and should the feeler'detect a working supply of filling in the shuttle the stress of the spring is again relieved so that the feeler may rest in any front, position to which it may be moved by the Working supply of filling on a detecting beat.

More specifically stated, the feeler spring is placed under stress periodically by a spring controller and held in its spring stressing position during the periods of activity of the'feeler, and when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling the spring controller is tripped to relieve the stress of the feeler spring, all as will more fully appear.

The invention and novel features thereof will best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings of one good practical form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a feeler mechanism containing the present invention, the feeler being shown in its active position; and

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the .feeler and the relation of parts when the feeler is in its frontward or inactive position. 7

F eeler mechanisms are now ordinarily employed for changing the loom operation when the feeler detects a substantial eX- haustion of filling in the shuttle, such, for instance, as effecting loom stoppage or replenishment of filling, and in the present instance of the invention the feeler mechanism is shown as operating to effect replenishment. The replenishing mechanism itself is not herein illustrated and describedbecause it is of well-known construction and familiar to those skilled in the art.

.The loomframe has extending therefrom, as usual, the shipper stand 1 from which extends a portion 2 for the support of the feeler stand 3 which may be clamped thereto in any usual manner. Rising from the feeler stand 3 are the lugs d and 5 in which the feeler may have movement towards and from the front of the loom. The feeler may be of any usual type but as herein shown it is of the side-slipping (type, that is, when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat the feeler or its filling feeling end will side slip in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle. There are various types of such side slipping feelers, but the feeler in the present instance comprises a stem 6 extending through the lugs 4 and 5 of the feeler stand, and at its rearward end. Y

has pivoted thereto at 7 the filling feeling portion 8 thereof, the terminal end of which may be provided with teeth 9, as usual. The portion 8 of the feeler has extending frontwardly therefrom the arm 10 to which is secured the transmitter 11 for actuating a train of mechanism to effect replenishment when the feeler portion 8 of the feeler side slips. As a means for varying the extent of movement of the transmitter 11 the frontwardly extending arm 10 is provided with a number of openings 12 in which the transmitter may be secured, and the portion 8 0f the feeler is normally under the in;

fluence of a spring 13 for holding the feeler in its filling engaging position. The parts so far described may be as usual.

Secured to the stem portion 6 of the feeler is a trip or block 14 which may be conveniently connected to the feeler stem for movement therewith by a bolt 15, and in order that the trip or block 14 may be properly guided in its movement with the feeler there is a guide 16 extending frontwardly from the lug 4 of the feeler stand, the construction being such that the trip or block 14 will move with the feeler.

Loosely mounted on the stem portion 6 of the feeler is a yoke 17 the rear end portion of which engages about the feeler stem rearward of the block or trip 14, as at 18, and the front end portion of which is similarly curled around the feeler stem at 19, and between the trip or block 14 and the front portion of the yoke 17 is interposed the feeler spring 20, the construction being such that when the yoke 17, and perforce the feeler, are held in rearward position, as i11- dicated in Fig. 1, the spring 20 will exert a rearward stress upon the feeler during its periods of activity, but should the yoke 17 be freed for frontward movement with the feeler, the spring 20 would no longer exert a rearward stress upon the feeler, as indicated in Fig. 2.

Extending downwardly from the feeler stand is an arm 21 on which is pivotally mounted at 22 a spring controller 23, the upwardly extending arm of which is positioned to bear against a lug or projection 24 extending from the yoke 17, and means are provided for periodically moving the spring controller into its spring stressing position, as indicated in Fig. 1. Such means may be variously contrived, but in the present instance of the invention the spring controller has a foot portion 25 extending from the pivot 22 thereof and adapted at times to be engaged by a lug 26 mounted upon a ratchet wheel 27 which may be given a step by-step movement from any going part of the loom. In the present instance the ratchet wheel 27 is mounted upon the stud 28 and at one side of the ratchet wheel is a pawl carrier 29 mounted for rocking movement about the stud 28. At the lower portion of the pawl carrier 29 is the actuating pawl 30. Also mounted for rocking movement about the stud 28 is the pawl carrier actuator 31, the lower end of which is connected at 32 to a rod 33 which may be given a reciprocating movement periodically from any going part of the loom, as, for instance, the lay or take-up mechanism. The actuator 31 is connected to the pawl carrier 29 by a stud 34, the construction being such that upon reciprocating movement of the rod 33 the pawl carrier 29 will be given a rocking movement about the stud 28 to effect stepby-step movement of the ratchet wheel 27, and to prevent retrograde movement of the ratchet wheel 27 the holding pawl 35 is normally held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel, as indicated in Fig. 1.

From the construction thus far described it will be apparent that when the ratchet wheel has been stepped along to bring the lug 26 thereon into engagement with the foot 25 of the spring controller, the arm 23 of the spring controller will be moved rearwardly to move the yoke 17, the spring 20 and the feeler rearwardly, with the latter in rearward feeling position and subject to the stress of the spring 20.

In accordance with the present invention, the spring controller is held in its spring tensioning position, as indicated in Fig. 1, during the active periods of the feeler, and to this end a latch may be appropriately employed. In the embodiment of the invention shown, the spring controller holding latch comprises a pivoted member 36 which may be pivotally mounted at 37 on the feeler stand The latch 36 has a notch or opening 38 and is normally under the influence of a light spring 39 tending to hold the latch in its spring controller locking position, as indicated in Fig. 1. To direct movement of the latch to and from its holding position, the lug 5 may be conveniently provided with an opening 40 for engagement by a projection 41 carried by the latch 36.

Extending laterally from the latch 36 is the arm 42 which extends laterally of the feeler stand in the path of movement of the trip or block 14, with the result that should the feeler be moved frontwardly by a workin supply of filling on a detecting beat during one of its periods of activity, the trip or block 14 will engage the arm 42 and move the latch to free the spring controller and permit it to move from its holding position, as indicated in Fig. 1, to its idle position, as indicated in Fig. 2, when the projection 26 has passed from under the arm 25 of the spring controller. Usually the weight of the arm 25 will be sufficient to effect this movement of the spring controller when re leased from the latch.

Assuming the parts to he in the position indicated in Fig. 2, that is, during the idle or inactive period of the feeler, the ratchet wheel 27 will he stepped along tooth by tooth until the projection 26 of the ratchet Wheel engages the arm 25 of the spring controller, whereupon the spring controller arm 23 will engage the projection 24 of the yoke 17 and move the feeler rearwardly into feeling position under the stress of the spring 20, and the latch 36 will maintain the parts in this position, as indicated in Fig. 1. On the following detecting beat, should a working supply of filling be detected in the shuttle, the feeler will be moved frontwardly a dis ta-nce sufiicient to cause the trip or block 14: to engage the laterally extending arm 42 of the latch, thereby swinging the latch and freeing the spring controller, as indicated in Fig. 2, with the result that the stress of the spring 20 will be relieved from the feeler and both the spring and feeler rest in the front position to which they have been moved by the working supply of filling. Should the feeler, however, detect approaching eX- haustion of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat, it will not be moved frontward sufficiently far to cause the trip or block 14: to engage the laterally projecting arm 42 of the latch, and the feeler will remain in active position to effect replenishment of filling when the latter has become substantially exhausted.

From the construction described it will be apparent that during the active periods of the feeler it will be held in its rearward feeling position and the feeler spring 20 will be stressed, and during the inactive periods of the feeler the stress of the spring 20 upon the feeler will be relieved and the feeler will float in the front position to which it has been moved by the Working supply of filling in the shuttle, until, by the stepped movement of the ratchet 27 the projection 26 again moves the feeler rearwardly into feeling position and stresses the spring 20.

hat is claimed is:

1. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, in combination, a feeler stand, a feeler mounted upon the stand for movement towards and from the front of the 100111, a; feeler spring, spring controlling means for placing the spring under stress after a plurality of detecting beats to move the feeler to feeling position, and means for tripping the spring controlling means and thus freeing the spring from exerting stress upon the feeler when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling on a detecting beat that the feeler may remain at rest in front position for a plurality of detecting beats.

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand for movement towards and from the front of the loom, a feeler spring, a spring controller for placing the spring under rearward stress for periods of activity of the feeler that the feeler may be yieldingly moved by the spring to rearward feeling position, and means for relieving the rearward stress of the spring upon the feeler when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat that the feeler may remain at rest in front position during periods of feeler inactivity.

3. A. feeler mechanism for looms in which the feeler has periods of activity and periods of inactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling in. the shuttle, comprising, in combination, a feeler mounted for movement towards and from the front of the 100111, a spring which exerts a rearward stress upon the feeler during its periods of activity and exerts no stressupon the feeler during its periods of inactivity that the feeler may freely rest in any frontward position to which it is moved, and spring controlling means periodically acting to place the spring under stress to move the feeler to feeling position and relieve the rearward stress of the spring when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat.

4. A feeler mechanism for looms in which the feeler has periods of activity and periods of inactivity during weaving with the same supply of filling in the shuttle, comprising,

in combination, a feeler mounted for movement towards and from the front of the loom, a spring which exerts a rearward stress upon thefeeler during 1ts periods of activity and exerts no stress upon the feeler ,during its periods of inactivity that the feeler may freely rest in any frontward posi tion to which it is moved, a spring controller periodically active to place the spring under stress to move the feeler rearwardly to feeling position, a latch for holding the con troller in its spring stressing position until the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle and thereupon freeing the controller to relieve the stress ofthe spring that the feeler may float at rest during periods of its inactivity. 5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler displaced in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle by the frontward pressure, a feeler spring, a spring controller periodically active to place the spring under tension that the feeler may be moved to feeling position, a latch for holding the spring controller in spring tensioning position during periods of' activity of the feeler, and a trip actuated by frontward movement of the feeler due to the pressure of a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat for freeing the spring controller from its spring tensioning position that the feeler may thereafter be free from the tension of the spring and freely rest in frontward position during periods of inactivity of the feeler. 7

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand for movement towards and from the front of the loom, a feeler spring, a spring controller for periodically placing the spring under stress to move the feeler to feeling position, a latch for holding the spring controller in spring stressing position during periods of activity of the feeler, and a tripdevice movable with the feeler for acting upon the latch to free the controller from spring tensioning position when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat.

7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand, a feeler spring, a spring stressing controller, means for periodically moving the controller to place the spring under stress that it may move the feeler to feeling position, a latch having a controller portion to hold the controller in spring stressing position during periods of activity of the feeler, and a trip actuated by the feeler to move the latch from the controller holding position when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a work ing supply of filling to thereby free the spring from stress that the feeler may float in front position uninfluenced by the spring during its periods of inactivity.

8. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand, a feeler spring, a spring controller arm, means actuated by a going part of the loom for moving the spring controller arm DGI'lOCllCZLllY to place the spring under stress that the feeler may be moved to rearward feeling position, a pivoted latch having a notch for holding the controller arm in spring stressing position, and a trip for disengaging the controller arm from the notch when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling to thereby free the spring from stress that the feeler may rest in front position.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand, a spring mounted on the feeler, a spring controller for moving the spring and feeler rearwardly that the feeler may assume feeling position and function under the stress of the spring, a latch for holding the controller, and a trip for freeing the controller from the latch when the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling that the spring and feeler may move frontwardly into an idle position and the stress of the spring upon the feeler be relieved.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ELVIN D. MACARTHUR. 

